Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) had selected ONGC Director (Finance) R S Sharma on August 30 last year for the top job in the petroleum and gas major but in February this year the Government, in a surprise move, scrapped the choice as it wanted the selection process to be widened by inviting candidates from the private sector and selection body being broadened.

The lawyer also asked for clarification if the Government/ ONGC has given a warning to ONGC CMD R S Sharma for signing official documents/letter/memos by backdating his signature.

Last week, Mr Sharma was again selected for the post of Chairman and Managing Director of the state-owned ONGC.

A head-hunt committee, headed by PESB Chairman N K Sinha, recommended Mr Sharma, who has been acting chairman of ONGC since May 25, 2006, for the job while preferring former bureaucrat Najeeb Jung as its second best choice.

Mr Jung, who was joint secretary (exploration) in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in the early 1990s, quit his post in 1995. He had a stint with ADB and was associated with Reliance Industries-funded Observer Research Foundation. He is presently associated with the Oxford University.